(To the taxi drivers both here in Davao and in Manila, you should know that if you take the money of a person because you do not have change and you do not return it, that is estafa.)

“It is not a simple violation. I already told the drivers here,” Duterte remarked in a combination of Filipino and English. “It is not your money and you go away with it,” he added.

Drivers who do not have loose change should not go out to work as per Duterte. He also reiterated that taxi drivers must convert bills from larger to smaller amounts in order to “have loose change at all times” saying that they can opt to go to a nearby store and have their paper bills exchanged into smaller denominations.

“It behooves upon the taxi company now to provide the drivers with loose changes at the start of the day,” he furthered.

Duterte, however, requested passengers to “try to figure out the amount that you would have to pay to reach your destination.”

Change is indeed now coming to both taxi drivers and commuters. Loose change – that is.